In normal adults the ocular globe is approximately spherical, with a diameter averaging 24.5 mm. The cornea is a transparent tissue inserted into the sclera at the limbus, the anterior chamber is behind the cornea. The iris is the anterior extension of the ciliary body, it presents as a flat surface with a centrally situated round aperture, the pupil. The iris lies in contiguity with the anterior surface of the lens, dividing the anterior chamber from the posterior chamber, each of which contains aqueous humor. The lens is a biconvex, avascular, colorless and almost completely transparent structure about 4 mm thick and 9 mm in diameter. The lens is suspended behind the iris by the zonules, which connect it with the ciliary body. Anterior to the lens is the aqueous humor and posterior to the lens is the vitreous. The “vitreous body” which occupies approximately four fifths of the cavity of the eyeball, behind the lens. The vitreous body is formed of gelatinous material, known as the vitreous humor. Typically, the vitreous humor of a normal human eye contains approximately 99% water along with 1% macromolecules including: collagen, hyaluronic acid, soluble glycoproteins, sugars and other low molecular weight metabolites.
The retina is essentially a layer of nervous tissue formed on the inner posterior surface of the eyeball. The retina is surrounded by a layer of cells known as the choroid layer. The retina may be divided into a) an optic portion which participates in the visual mechanism and b) a non-optic portion which does not participate in the visual mechanism. The optic portion of the retina contains the rods and cones, which are the effectual organs of vision. A number of arteries and veins enter the retina at its center, and splay outwardly to provide blood circulation to the retina. The posterior portion of the vitreous body is in direct contact with the retina. Networks of fibrillar strands extend from the retina and permeate or insert into the vitreous body so as to attach the vitreous body to the retina.
The optic nerve provides communication between the retina and the brain. The optic nerve is primarily composed of axons from the retinal ganglion cells along with glial support cells and other tissue. The optic nerve begins at the optic nerve head or disc and passes through the sclera in the area of the lamina cribrosa. The optic nerve then passes through the orbit and optic canal to the optic chiasm. Posterior to the lamina cribrosa, the optic nerve is surrounded by a three-layered meningeal sheath similar to the central nervous system which consists of a dura mater (optic nerve sheath), arachnoid mater, and pia mater. The subarachnoid space surrounding the optic nerve is in direct communication with the subarachnoid space of the central nervous system.
The term “glaucoma” encompasses a group of diseases that cause progressive damage to the optic nerve and resultant optical field defects, vision loss and, in some cases, blindness. Glaucoma is typically, but not always, accompanied by abnormally high intraocular pressure. There are three basic types of glaucoma—primary, secondary and congenital. The primary type of glaucoma is most common. Cases of primary glaucoma are classified as either open angle or closed angle. Secondary glaucoma occurs as a complication of a variety of other conditions, such as injury, inflammation, vascular disease and diabetes. Congenital glaucoma is elevated eye pressure present at birth due to a developmental defect in the eye's drainage mechanism.
As well as being an important marker of the presence and advancement of glaucoma, the structure of the optic nerve head may play a role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Two main theories exist for the mechanism of optic nerve damage in glaucoma. One theory, known as the mechanical IOP related theory, suggests that the pressure head acts directly on the lamina cribosa. The lamina cribosa is not well supported superiorly and inferiorly at the disk and, as a result, initial damage occurs superiorly and inferiorly to produce the characteristic arcuate defects. Variations in the ganglion cell support at the disk may explain the variations between IOP susceptibilities of individuals with similar IOP's. The second theory, known as the vascular mechanism of damage theory, suggests that changes occur within the microcirculation of the disk capillaries and such microvascular changes are responsible for glaucomatous changes.
Irrespective of the type of glaucoma a patient suffers from, controlling IOP through the use of drugs and/or surgery is a mainstay of treatment. It is generally acknowledged that lowering intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients can prevent or lessen the irreversible glaucoma-associated destruction of optic nerve fibers and the resultant irreversible vision loss.
Presently the use of topically applied glaucoma medications consisting of mainly beta blockers, prostaglandin analogues, alpha-2 agonists, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are short acting, prone to deleterious side effects, prone to compliance issues, and must be used for life. Also, at present, the use of argon laser trabeculoplasty as a means for treating glaucoma is limited in clinical response, lasts only approximately 1-2 years, and is limited by the number of applications per eye. Also, at present, the performance of trabeculectomy procedures with or without antimetabolites allows for the external drainage of aqueous humor from the eye. However, trabeculectomy procedures can be technically difficult, frought with early hypotony, late failure, and high rate of endophthalmitis leading to permanent loss of the eye.
Another surgical approach to the treatment of glaucoma involves the implantation of a shunt to drain aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye. Examples of glaucoma shunts of the prior art include those described in the following United States Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,558 entitled “Adjustable Flow Rate Glaucoma Shunt and Method of Using Same;” U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,510 entitled “Implantable Devices and Methods for Controlling the Flow of Fluids Within the Body;” U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,511 entitled “Shunt Valve and Therapeutic Delivery System for Treatment of Glaucoma and Methods and Apparatus for its Installation;” U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,969 entitled “Sutureless Implantable Device and Method for Treatment of Glaucoma” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,858 entitled “Shunt Device and Method for Treating Glaucoma.” The entire disclosure of each of these United States patents is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for the development of new methods and apparatus for lowering IOP and/or for draining fluid from the posterior chamber of the eye for treatment of glaucoma or other disease states.